Chemistry set: TCU seniors believe their closeness made a difference
TCU tight end Cliff Murphy remembers the scene with a smile.
Him, safety Sam Carter, linebacker Marcus Mallet and offensive tackle Tayo Fabuluje all in the same residence.
Freshman roommates.
“We’re close because we came in together,” he said.
He offered no details behind the knowing smile. But it’s clear those were the days when some of the bonds began building among the Horned Frogs’ 18 seniors, a group that helped steer the program out of the doldrums of the past two years with an 11-1 season and a Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl matchup against Ole Miss.
“We’re probably the tightest group on the team,” Carter said. “We hang out together. Most of us live a minute, two minutes away from each other. We’re just brothers. You come in, from freshman year, you develop a friendship, a brotherhood. These guys, I’d give anything to because they’re like a brother now.”
Seven of the seniors start — cornerback Kevin White, All-American linebacker and Big 12 defensive player of the year Paul Dawson, defensive tackle Chucky Hunter and those four freshman roomies. Another, receiver David Porter, was the third-leading pass-catcher.
Individually, each senior made a contribution to the Frogs’ Big 12 co-championship team.
Collectively, they set the tone.
“Guys came in with a chip on their shoulder,” Carter said. “Knowing last year we let those seniors down going 4-8, we didn’t want to leave the seniors this year with the same result. I think the seniors did a great job this year.”
It was easy for them to all buy in because they were an especially close group, said Fabuluje, who left the program for a year at BYU before coming back to Fort Worth and becoming the starter at left tackle, protecting junior Heisman candidate quarterback Trevone Boykin’s blind side.
“We’re always with each other, playing video games, doing stuff off the field,” Fabuluje said. “We really are close-knit brothers. I think that’s why it led to the type of season we had this year.
“Chemistry was a big thing. And in football, you’ve got to trust one another in order to have success. Just being so close on and off the field, this group of seniors, it’s been amazing. It’s been a fun ride. Just to see us all together this final stretch, it’s just been amazing.”
Coach Gary Patterson thinks about the highs and lows the seniors experienced. Some, like Carter, were redshirt freshmen when TCU won the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day 2011. They all went through the struggles of the first two years in the Big 12, including the four frustrating losses by a combined 11 points in conference last year.
“Nobody’s handled more adversity than what this group of kids has handled,” Patterson said. “This group here has been from highest highs to the lowest lows. This group has only had one feeling like this. But it’s also had the feeling of what it felt like last year and all the different things that happen off the field and how people have treated what goes on.”
The senior bonds helped the Frogs keep two players.
“All these guys are just like my brothers, brothers I never had,” said Fabuluje, who came back to TCU because he wanted to graduate in familiar surroundings. “I’m definitely glad I met these guys, and I know these guys will be in my life for as long as possible.”
Carter, whose 13 interceptions are the most by a Big 12 player in the past three seasons, considered going to graduate school following the Frogs’ 4-8 finish a year ago. He came back because of his senior friends.
“We all came in at the same time,” he said. “We all want to leave at the same time, also.”
Carlos Mendez, 817-390-7407
This story was originally published December 24, 2014 at 7:09 PM with the headline "Chemistry set: TCU seniors believe their closeness made a difference."